The world may well be waiting on a follow-up to classic puzzling shooter Portal where we can enter the fray once again, or even a conclusion to the Half-Life game series that just won’t end, but at least there’s new hardware on the way.
Last year, the makers of those games announced that more would be coming to match the excellent Steam Deck portable gaming PC, with a living room variation in the Machine and a VR equivalent in the Frame.
But that was before AI started making a massive dent on memory and storage prices, and everything in the PC world suddenly become more expensive. Now it seems like every laptop and desktop and phone that uses these pieces of technology is rising in price, or at the very least, delayed for a little longer.
That could be the case with the Steam Machine and Steam Frame, with neither talked about just yet. Despite that, Valve is at least ready with its controller that will be compatible with both, and also made to work with other devices, as well, include its own Steam Deck, PCs, and Steam Link software, which also potentially means the Apple TV.
The technology sees magnetic thumbsticks, trackpads, grip buttons, and a grip-based gyroscope come to the Steam Controller, while also coming with a wireless charger that also works as a wireless transmitter for the PC you plug it into.
Valve’s Steam Controller will come in for around $149 in Australia, more than the $25 to $50 range where budget basic models start from, and also higher than the typically $100 to $120 price point for console controllers. That being said, the wireless puck is a neat addition, and the support for at least 35 hours of battery life could make it an ideal option for gamers intending to keep gaming at length.
Folks living in Australia can expect to find the Steam Controller online from Steam, launching on May 4, what we’d normally call “Star Wars Day”.
